Elder’s Will: Wednesday Excerpt #2

Here is the second entry in my continuing series of excerpts from my epic fantasy novel, ELDER’S WILL. I hope you enjoy it!

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I had made one friend at the University, and Nick Larsen was it. Temper aside, he was brilliant. He earned acceptance to the University not because he cared, but because he belonged. I suppose the school recognized his gift and sought to harness it. Thus far, their plan had not been effective.

Prior to the University, Nick had lived alone with his mother, a talent of some renown within the Orendal art community. As Nick described it, their house on the outskirts of Central Orendal was a “wildly organic medley of alternative expression filled with psychedelic artwork and supremely colorful furniture.” This influence was evident on Nick, who made class time his personal playground. He would banter with the teacher, draw caricatures during designated study time, and come up with colorful excuses as to why his assignments were off-topic. His grades were borderline at best.

We got along very well. We had a saying in Helmsford that “two differences can combine to make one same.” That saying must have merit, for we shared a quick temper but really nothing else. And I guess we didn’t have many friends, which lent itself to our companionship. I was too busy to make them, he was too eccentric to keep them. I had not yet been able to introduce Nick to my parents, but I was certain they would like him as well. For all his mischievous tendencies, he knew when to play at normal. Some might call that charm. At times, I confess I envied that trait.

We stepped out of the hallway and into the Garden Green. Once out of earshot of our whispering colleagues, I turned to my friend and offered him a sheepish smile.